In an effort to celebrate their eleventh birthday in unforgettable style, the HI-Fi Bar set out to compile a list of gigs featuring the best Australia and our neighbours have to offer in the music world, to be played in just a little over a month. The latest of such gigs was the ever resilient and impressive-live kiwi outfit, Shihad on Saturday June 14.
Known for their brilliantly energetic and engaging shows, Shihad once again demonstrated why they are a much loved staple of the rock world and why, along-side Russel Crowe and Crowded House, we Aussies are very quick to claim them as our own. Launching their latest and arguably most accomplished album to date, Beautiful Machine, the band once briefly known as Pacifier drew on each of their seven studio albums to compile a set list which was sure to please everyone in the house. And that it did.
It has been a while since I’ve seen Shihad play live and, during that time, rarely have I been witness to a band who connects so much with their audience. The crowd was unbelievably responsive to the songs, helping to belt out choruses, holding the beat with claps, and even joining Jon Toogood and his band of merry men onstage for a quick dance, before bailing in an attempt to evade the crowd controllers. It must be said that much of the bands’ live aura is generated by their energetic and charismatic front-man, Toogood, and the rangy singer was yet again in predictably fine form. He is constantly on the move, bouncing around the stage like a man possessed, and his vocals are always top-notch. Be it delivering screams on the rarely played Metal Song or crooning an acoustic rendition of Run, the man simply does not miss a beat.
While tracks played from Shihad’s most lauded album, The General Electric, were the best received of the night, singles such as the latest One Will Hear the Other, and Comfort Me from the Pacifier album, were also highlights. The aforementioned acoustic interpretation of Run was a beautiful effort for its stripped down nature, and somewhat fittingly the show ended where it has all began for Shihad, with the ever popular breakthrough song, Home again. Although Australia may not technically be home for Shihad, for all the love they receive every time they play here, it must feel like it to them.
